Ink Pen

[John Lindberg]

I am attempting to build a Easy Built Thunderbolt, 28" wingspan stick and tissue construction, does anyone know of a commercially available ink pen that might not be so hard on the Japanese tissue? Any ideas?

[Dan McEntee]

  Do a search on here for applying ink lines and you should find volumes. There are lots of pens at the craft and art stores that work well and come in lots of nib sizes. Lot of sort , small tip felt tipped pens also. Applying them would be similar to a stunt ship. Another old trick was using chart tape and doping that down, along with using narrow strips of black tissue doped down. I would be really surprised of there were no YouTube videos on the subject.
  Type at you later,
   Dan McEntee

[Joe Bowman]

John,  If you are using the tissue supplied in the kit, you are not going to have good results.  The domestic tissue in easy built kits is just too fragile to draw on,  If you use a felt tip pen with large enough tip as to not damage the tissue it is so wide that it just doesn't look right.
   If you have some Esaki tissue (not produced anymore), or Mt Fuji tissue is what is being sold now.  It is good enough to do some limited drawing on it.  A lot of people have started printing on the tissue before it is applied to the airplane.  The detail that can be achieved is incredible.  Search on you tube for printing on tissue for model airplanes.  Lots of info and how to's.

[Avaiojet]

John,

This may or may not help, but I tried a few pens and chose this one. Thick line on one end thin line on the other.

As far as the tissue, be gentle, less pressure. A guess.

https://stunthanger.com/smf/paint-and-finishing/secret-exposed!-pen-lines-photos-added!!/

[John Carrodus]

Hiail John. Attached - photos of my Spitfire tail covered with silkspan, doped, painted with rattlecan automotive primer/filler,
blackline inked with marker pen using as little pressure as possible. Let ink dry/ cure overnight, Dusted with clear rattle can automotive to seal ink, wait a few minutes and slowly build up light coats till you are happy. Use back of wet n dry sand paper and wet sand - carefully - between coats to get a nice finish.
Cheers
John C

[John Carrodus]

And the topside'

[John Carrodus]

An afterthought
Lean pen over and drag across the surface smoothly. Less chance of a dig in.
I also have a flexi ruler for curves. A 30degree clear plastic set square allows to get in tight spaces. Haven't as yet used French curves, but they would be useful to have if needed. Minor stuffups can be lightly sanded out and redrawn.
Hope this helps a fellow C- liner.

[Paul Wescott]

Pigma Micron

https://www.dickblick.com/products/sakura-pigma-micron-pen/?Color=Black&